Journal of Environmental Biology

Irrigation with domestic wastewater: Responses on growth and yield

of ladyfinger Abelmoschus esculentus and on soil nutrients

Author Details

Alka Thapliyal

Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi - 110 016, India

Padma Vasudevan

(Corresponding author)

Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi - 110 016, India

e-mail: padmav10@hotmail.com

M.G. Dastidar

Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi - 110 016, India

Mamta Tandon

Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi - 110 016, India

Seema Mishra

South Indian Education Society, Indian Institute of Environment Management, Navi Mumbai - 400 706,

India

Publication Data

Paper received:

15 May 2010

Revised received:

28 September 2010

Re-revised received:

25 November 2010

Re-re-revised received:

18 January 2011

Accepted:

27 January 2011

Abstract

Domestic wastewater is generated continuously and in large quantities. It can serve as an alternative water nutrient source for irrigation. In the present study Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Ladyfinger) was irrigated using untreated wastewater (T1), treated wastewater (T2) and rainwater (T3) in pot experiments. The effect was seen on nutrient fortication, growth and yield of the plant and the nutrient status of the soil. Additionally the build up of Cr, Cu and Zn from the irrigation water were anlayzed in different parts of the plant biomass and in the soil. The sapling survival rate was found to be 87% in T1 followed by T2 and T3. Root shoot ratio under different treatments was found in the order T3 (0.46) >T2 (0.35) >T1 (0.31). The chlorophyll a, b and carotene content in the leaves (mg g^-1) was found to be 6.3, 0.5, 0.9 under T1, 4.8, 0.4, 0.8 under T2 and 3.2, 0.3, 0.5 under T3 respectively and all the three varied in the order T1>T2>T3. The same trend was found in case of total dry matter (g) T1 (6.3) >T2 (3.7) >T3 (2.3) at p<0.05. There was a considerable increase in nutrients in the soil under T1 and T2 as compared to T3 after final harvest. The organic matter (%), NO₃^-N and PO₄^3- (mg kg^-1) content post harvest soil was found to be 3.4, 71, 90 under T1 and 2.9, 52, 63 under T2 respectively. Also, there was an increase in cations Na, K, Ca and Mg in the soil irrigated with T1 and T2 after the final harvest. Thus irrigation with wastewater generally increased soil fertility.? Only a small percentage of the heavy metal was bioaccumulated by the plant parts from the irrigation water. There was hardly any metal accumulation in fruits. Bulk of the metal ions remained in the soil.

Key words

Domestic wastewater, Ladyfinger, Metal ion accumulation

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